Antique Office Furniture

Working from home becomes a genuine pleasure when your desk has been standing since Gladstone was in office. Our dealers stock antique pedestal desks, writing tables, bureau bookcases, filing cabinets, captain's chairs, partners' desks and library tables in mahogany, oak and walnut.

Antique office furniture was built for daily use over decades, if not centuries. The result is a quality of construction and materials that makes modern office furniture look decidedly temporary.

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Antique Mahogany Davenport Desk By Gillows Of Lancaster

An antique solid mahogany Davenport desk, dating to circa 1820–1835, spanning the late Regency and e...

A Small Regency Rosewood Writing Table

A small Regency rosewood writing table. Standing on shaped feet with tapered supports, united by str...

A Chamber Writing Table Attributed To Gillows

A Chamber writing table attributed to Gillows of Lancaster. Of fine quality, this small table bears...

A Superb Cylinder Desk In The Manner Of John Mclean

A Superb Cylinder Desk in the manner of John Mclean. Finished all round, this beautiful desk is rais...

Exhibition Quality Davenport made by T.H. Filmer & Sons

English circa 1860 - 1870 Mid 19th Century Amboyna & Brass Mounted Davenport The gilt brass galle...

George III Chippendale Period Tambour Writing Table

circa 1770 - 1780 18th century mahogany tambour desk.The cylinder shaped tambour top opens to revea...

Rare 17th Century Oak Bureau

A rare and probably unique 17th Century Oak Bureau of superb colour, in remarkably original conditio...

Antique Victorian Walnut Cylinder Bureau Bookcase With Writing Desk & Cupboard

A Victorian Walnut Cylinder Bureau Bookcase. This 3 in 1 piece has a bookcase, writing area, and cup...

Edwards and Roberts Writing Desk

A very good quality inlaid mahogany writing desk by Edwards and Roberts of London. Of fine construct...

Early 18th Century Oak Bureau

Fine early 18th Century Oak Bureau of lovely warm honey colour, in good original condition. The shap...

Superb Mahogany Pedestal Desk

A fine quality solid mahogany double pedestal  desk, with curtesy panel, nine drawers with brass swa...

Fine French Burr Walnut Bureau Platt Desk

A lovely French burr walnut and tulipwood banded bureau platt or dressing table, with gold shaped le...

Super Kidney Shaped Mahogany Desk

A very nice quality solid mahogany Edwardian serpentine desk with satinwood banding and green leathe...

George III Mahogany Secretaire Bookcase

A handsome late 18th-century George III mahogany secretaire bookcase of elegant proportions, retaini...

Fine 18th Century Mahogany Bureau Bookcase

A Superb quality 18th Century solid Mahogany Bureau Bookcase made from the finest cuban Mahogany and...

Early 18th Century Walnut Kneehole Desk

A superb and rare early 18th century provincial Walnut Kneehole Desk of good colour and patina in ou...

George II Walnut Kneehole Desk

A Fine 18th Century George II Figured Walnut Kneehole Desk of rich honey colour with brushing slide....

18th Century Mahogany Kneehole Desk

A fine George II Mahogany Kneehole Desk with brushing slide, fitted with supporting lopers and slidi...

Early 18th Century Walnut Bureau Bookcase

A Fine Queen Anne Double Dome Walnut Bureau Bookcase with figured matched Walnut veneer and feather...

18th Century Mahogany Secretaire Kneehole Desk

An outstanding George II Mahogany Secretaire Kneehole Desk of small proportions with Superb rich col...

Working at an Antique Desk

The rise of home working has transformed the market for antique office furniture. A Victorian pedestal desk with leather-lined top, brass handles and deep filing drawers does everything a modern desk does, but with the added satisfaction of working at something genuinely well made. Partners' desks, designed for two people to work facing each other, are magnificent pieces that make a statement in any study or office.

Kneehole desks are more compact and suit smaller rooms. Carlton House desks, with their distinctive U-shaped gallery of drawers and compartments, are the Rolls-Royce of writing desks and highly sought after. Davenport desks, small and slope-topped, were designed for correspondence and work perfectly as laptop stations.

Office Chairs

The captain's chair, with its curved back and arms on a swivel base, was the standard office chair of the Victorian and Edwardian periods. They remain supremely comfortable and are well suited to long hours of desk work. Look for examples with the original leather or consider having a worn seat re-upholstered.

Desk chairs on castors, library chairs and reading chairs all serve office purposes and can be found in a range of styles and sizes to suit your space and working habits.

Technology and Antique Desks

Modern technology integrates well with antique desks. Cable management can be discreetly handled through existing holes (originally for inkwell holders) or through the back of the kneehole. Many antique desks offer more drawer space than any modern equivalent, which is useful for storing chargers, papers and stationery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most antique pedestal and partners' desks have generous surface areas that easily accommodate a monitor, keyboard and other equipment. Measure the desk surface and kneehole height before purchasing if you plan to use a large monitor. A laptop works comfortably on virtually any antique desk.

A partners' desk is a large double-sided desk with drawers on both sides, originally designed for two people to sit opposite each other. They are typically made in mahogany with leather-lined tops and are among the most impressive pieces of antique furniture available.

Captain's chairs and desk chairs from the Victorian and Edwardian periods were designed for long working days and can be very comfortable. Many have adjustable height mechanisms that still function well. Try before you buy if possible, and consider a cushion if the original upholstery is firm.

A Davenport is a small, compact desk with a sloping top that lifts to reveal storage, and a column of drawers down one side. They were first made in the late 18th century, reputedly for a Captain Davenport, and were popular throughout the Victorian period as ladies' writing desks.